disposal and a good, strong work horse placed in his stead, which one man could handle instead of two at present, it would facilitate matters greatly. The plowing, cultivating, &c., could be handled so much more advantageously than at present.

Having taken no vacation during the past year, and also being on the programme for two papers before the Association of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations (Horticultural Division) I desire to attend that Association the coming Summer under the auspices of the Station. I trust I am not asking too much, Dr. Myers, and when looked at from a financial standpoint, I believe you will see I am not. I believe I can show that this Department has cost the Station less than any other. Please consider that the florist's salary did not reach $400 for the year, and the other work certainly did not go beyond the limit of sales, $375, and if my own salary be added $800, all told, it would not reach $1,300. Then, too, much of the labor is spent upon the campus and in assisting the various other Departments.

Considering, therefore, as a brief resume that I have not taken any vacation in the past two years, and within the past year have attended and taken part in all the Farmers' Institutes held in the State, made several trips in the interest of my Department, written three bulletins, written up the report of the State Horticultural Society, have been instrumental in organizing three County Horticultural Societies, carried on the general experimental and routine work, as well as correspondence and writing of articles for papers, &c., to say nothing of the University work, I feel that I have not been at a loss for something to do. I also desire to express my thanks for the cordial co-oper ation and good will shown by my colleagues during the past

year.

Respectfully submitted,

May 20th, 1895.

F. WM. RANE.

REPORT OF THE CHEMIST.

DR. JOHN A. MYERS,

Director W. Va. Agr. Expt. Station, Morgantown, W. Va.: Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the Chemical Department of the W. Va. Agricultural Experiment Station. Respectfully,

B. H. HITE, Chemist.

REPORT OF THE CHEMIST.

On taking charge of the Chemical Department early in February, I found that fifty or sixty samples had been allowed to accumulate, no analysis having been made for about three months. The first of the year is always the busiest time in the fertilizer work. It is all that two men can do to analyze the fertilizers as fast as they come in, and having allowed them to get such a start, it seemed like an almost hopeless undertaking. Mr. Gray and myself worked every day in the week, and the greater part of every night for two months, when at last the work was up to date.

A matter of interest in connection with this work is that there have been no complaints from the manufacturers. Of course, there may be more than one reason for this, but I am inclined to think that it is due principally to the fact that the manufacturers know just as well as we know what their goods contain, and when their analyses are correct throughout, no matter what they have claimed, they know there is little to be gained by complaining. If, on the other hand, any of the figures are too high or too low, indicating carelessness or weakness on the part of the Chemist, they are ready to take advantage of it at once.

My experience with the dealers of this State, during the last two weeks, leads me to suggest another possible cause for this noticeable lack of complaints. It is this: The manufacturers may have learned that their goods are going to a part of our State where few, if any, of the farmers pay any attention to our bulletins, and where they know that the dealers will see that the farmers never get sight of a tag.

April 29th I set out to inspect the fertilizers of the State, ac

cording to the Fertilizer Law-was recalled to the laboratory May 11th, having just completed the work in the Ohio Valley. A report of this work has already been submitted, but I may say in this connection, that the dealers who are really complying with the law are very few. Most of them are honest, and seem to think they are doing all that is necessary, but their carelessness or neglect is rendering the law almost useless. The object of the law, as I understand it, is io enable the farmers to know just what they are buying, but while the tags are kept in the "house," "office," "store," or in every other imaginable place but on the sacks or barrels where they can be seen, the farmers are being cheated out of the protection which the law intended they should have. There are other dealers who are undoubtedly dishonest, who know the law perfectly well, but simply ignore it that they may sell their goods for twice their value. In some cases the manufacturers had tagged the sacks before sending them out, but the dealers had torn the tags off. I am inclined to think that this is very often the case, for I seldom found a sack with a tag on it, unless our valuation was up to the dealer's price. It will be necessary to teach the dealers to respect the law.

The laboratory is well equipped; it is, I believe, one of the best in the land. We have made a number of improvements in it, and a number of moves designed to give us more working room are already provided for.

The work this year has been much heavier than ever before. Another assistant was badly needed, and I am sure you made no mistake in recommending Mr. Watson for this position. The Chemist will now have some time for original investigations. One investigation-the application of the Kryoscopie Methods of Determining Molecular Weights to the Detection of Adulterations in Commercial Fats and Oils-is already under way, and some very encouraging results obtained. An in vestigation of the sugars and acids of various plants at various stages of their growth will be taken up as soon as the season will permit. Then, it is no more than fair that we should take part of the work designed to test the analytical methods of the

Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. There are other lines of work that we want to take up, if we can find the time, but those just mentioned will keep us busy until Fall.

I am confident that with the present efficient corps of assistants, and the liberal and fruitful suggestions of the Director, the Chemical Department will hereafter hold its own.